Section IV, 1917 [63[ Trans. R.S.C. 



A Slime-Producing Organism from Water. 



By Wilfrid Sadler, M.Sc, B.S.A. 



Presented by F. C. Harrison, D.Sc, F. R.S.C. 

 (Read May Meeting, 1917) 



The organism herein described is one of some three hundred 

 strains of the colon-serogenes group of bacteria isolated from the 

 waters of the River Ottawa during the past winter. The pronounced 

 sliminess of the colonies on agar of this particular strain led to the 

 present enquiry. 



Morphology: Agar culture 24 hours at 37°C.: microscopically short 

 thick rods, from two to three times as long as broad; the average 

 length being 1 to 1-6 microns. Some long forms are noted. 



Staining Reactions: Young cultures stain well and evenly with 

 KCihne's methylene blue; old cultures are stained with difficulty. 

 The reaction to Gram's stain has been variable; in preparations 

 made shortly after the organism had been isolated, a decided 

 degree of resistance was displayed to the decolorisation with 

 alcohol; the organism was not decolorised by the method of 

 Gram as usually applied, the films being prepared from agar 

 slopes and milk respectively. In preparations made at a later 

 date, after the organism had been cultured in the laboratory for 

 several weeks, the resistance to decolorisation with alcohol 

 had decreased, and the reaction may be described as typically 

 Gram negative. 



Capsule Formation: Capsules are formed in young cultures in milk, 

 The method employed was an adaptation of the Welch method, 

 and suggested by Dr. Bruère (McGill University). 



Motility: In hanging drop from condensation water of young agar 

 culture at 37°C. slight agitation with no change of position is 

 noted. No motility has been demonstrated. The rods occur 

 singly, in twos and as long forms. 



Cultural Characteristics: (Media prepared according to Standard 

 Methods of the American Public Health Association 1912). 

 Agar: 24 hrs. 37°C. luxuriant along track of needle, glistening, 

 iridiscent, flat to slightly contoured, creamy white by trans- 

 mitted light, very slimy, thin silk-like threads adhering to 

 needle to mouth of tube, condensation water slimy. In 14 



